Combined railway-switch and signal-operating mechanism



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I. RANDOLPH. COMBINED RAILWAY SWITCH AND SIGNAL OPERATING MECHANISM.

Patented Nov. 25

(NovModeL) Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. I. RANDOLPH.

COMBINED RAILWAY SWITCH AND SIGNAL OPERATING MECHANISM.

Patented Nov. 25', 1-890.

ma Normls versus 60., mo'rMm-m msmucwou, n. c.

ISIIAM RANDOLPH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED RAILWAY-SWITCH AND SIGNAL-OPERATING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,378, dated November 25, 1890. Application filed April 29, 1890. $erial No. 349,942- (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISHAM RANDOLPH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improve ment in a Combined Railway-Switch and Signal-Operating Mechanism, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the class of mechanism for operating simultaneously from a distant location (as the ordinary switch-operators cabin through the medium of a suitable lever system,) a railway-switch and semaphore; and my object is to provide simple and reliably-operative mechanism for the purpose, but which shall serve effectively to lock and maintain looked the switch in a position to which it has been thrown until the semaphore shall have been first adj usted to display the signal for the opposite throw of the switch.

I prefer to provide my combined switch-opcrating semaphore and switch-locking improvement with further precautionary mechanism for operating a detector-bar, so combining the last-named mechanism with the other as to cause the latter to be operated therewith; but-I do not wish to be understood as limiting my improved combination to the inclusion of the detector-bar appliance nor, es-

sentially, to a particular form of the switchoperating appliance.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a broken plan view showing my improvement as including all the features mentioned; Fig. 2, a similar view'showing the details of a detector-bar device; Fig. 3,a section taken on the line 3 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4, a view in broken front elevation of a dwarf semaphore; Fig. 5, a view of the same in broken side elevation, the side presented being that nearest the upper edge of the longer side of the sheet containing Fig. 1; Fig. 6, a broken view, in elevation, of the dwarf semaphore, presenting the opposite side thereof from that shown in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7, a view similar to that presented in Fig. 6, but showing the interlocking dog and bell-crank mechanism in their relative positions of locking the semaphorearm at its danger position.

projecting horizontally A is a switch-operating appliance, preferably (though not necessarily) of the construction set forth in Letters Patent of the United No. 410,332, granted me on the 3d day of September, 1889. It comprises, generally described, a longitudinally-movable bar r, confined between guides on abase r and connected, through the medium of the links q, each pivoted to the other at one end and at such end to the bar a", with opposite ends of a centrally-pivoted bar 19 on the base, the ends of the links q where they are connected with the bar 1) being longitudinally slotted, as shown, a bar 1), slotted longitudinally near its opposite ends and there pinned through the slots to the bar 19, on which it is supported, to extend lengthwise thereof, and a switchconnecting bar 0, pivotally connected with the bar 9 by the pin, which connects alink q therewith. The bar 19 is designed to be connected from one end by a wire, cable, or the like 19 with an operating-lever, (not shown, but which may be located in the operators cabin, as is common,) and from its opposite end through a wire, cable, or the like 19 passing around a guide-pulley X, (and containing links or other mechanism hereinafter described,) with the said lever.

B is a detector-bar appliance, preferably (but not necessarily) involving the construction set forth in my pending application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 340,792, filed on the 17th day of February, 1890, and com-prising the following details: A base a, supporting a lever at, extending across and pivoted to it stops m and m at opposite extremities of its expanded end, to be engaged by a tongue Z, from one edge of a bar 70, having recesses 7t and k at opposite sides of the tongue,the bar being confined on the base to extend across the lever on and movable longitudinally in guides, and a detector-bar device 0, (which may be'of awellknown construction and need not, therefore, be described in detail,) having the detectorbar i, supported on toggle-links t and connected, through a link i, a horizontal pivotal cross-head t and alink i with an end of the lever m.

D is the signal, (preferably in the form of a so-called dwarf semapl1ore,) involving the following-described construction of parts 011 a vertical post h, provided with a pivotal signal-arm h and lamp 7L2, which latter may be arranged to signal through a suitable lens 71 on the rear end of the semaphorearm: At one side of the base of the post his pivoted a bell-crank 9, one arm of which is connected, as in the manner shown, through the medium of a link g, with the arm h, the other arm extending into the path of a bar at an offset 9 provided therein, the bar being supported in horizontal position on the side of the base of the post h between guides 00 to enable it to be moved longitudinally, and connected from one end by the wire p with the device A, (or to the bar 19' through the medium of the appliance B, as shown, ifprovided,) and from its opposite end by the wire p or the like passed around the pulley X with an operating-lever. (Already referred to as not shown.) The longitudinal movement of the bar 9 should be limited by stops v on the base of the semaphore-post (and which are indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5) in the path of the lateral abutments at the bases of the eyes 22' on the ends of the bar, and at which the cable 12 is secured to it.

On the side of the semaphore-post h opposite that provided with the bell-crank g is pivotall y supported another lever, preferably, also, substantiallyin the form shown, of a bellcrank f, engaged toward one end bya dog f on the same axis as the bell-crank g, and having pivotally connected with its opposite end a link f extended into proximity with the switch-bar 0, and there pivotally connected with one end of a suitably-fulcrumed bellcrank e, having pivoted to its opposite end one end of a bar 0, connecting the bell-crank e with the switch-rail (not shown) near its free end, the connecting-bar 0, which is similarly joined to the switch-rail, extending thus parallel with the bar 0.

WVith my improvement applied with all the devices described the operation is as follows: Operatinga lever to exert strain on the connecting medium 29 in the direction indicated by the arrow 03 pulls the bar 1) of the device A in that direction, but without immediately moving the switchbar 0, owing to lost motion due to the slots in the ends of the bar p and links q. The operation also draws the bar is of the device B, and through it raises and lowers the detector 1', provided the track be clear, and if it be obstructed by a train that fact Will be indicated to the operator by the resistance encountered by him at the lever produced by the obstruction to the detectorbar preventing continued movement of the bars I: and 7", which obviously prevents throwing of the switch. If, however, the track be clear, so that the devices A and B may be operated, the strain will also be exerted on the bar g to draw it at its ofiset 9 against the bell-crank g inits path, and thereby, through the link g,

raise the signal-arm h to the danger position. The turning of the axis of the bell-crank 9 also turns the dog thereon at the opposite side of the base of the post it to disengage it from the bell-crank f. Then the bar 1' is free to be moved by the continued strain on the bar 1) and effects the desired throw of the switch, since it has been released from the locking effect of the bar 0 by permitting the latter to be moved with the movement of the switch-bar o, (whichin throwing the switch causes the latter to exert force against the bell-crank ethrough the lockingbar o,) owing to the releaseof the dog f from the bell-crank f. Thus the lost motion due to the slots (about one and three-quarter inch each) in the ends of =the'bar p and to those (about three-quarters of an inch each) in the ends of the toggle-links q of the device A serves before affecting the switch to permit the detectorbar appliance (if employed) to perform its function and operates the semaphore and unlocks the switch at the bell-crank f with the setting of the semaphore to danger to permit throwing of the switch only after the appropriate semaphore-signal has been displayed, the locking effect of the switch in the position from which it has been thrown being accomplished by the relative positions assumed by the dog f and bellcrank f, (illustrated in Fig. 6,) while in their positions illustrated in Fig. 7 they look the semaphore -arm at danger, leaving the switch free to be thrown. The reverse operation of the appliances by appropriately operating the lever to exert the proper strain on the wire 19" is of course owing to the same provision for affording the lost motion described, also to cause the detector-bar appliance to perform its function and to throw the switch and withdraw the bar 9 controlling the semaphore, so as to permit the arm h to drop to its normal safety position, and thereby also to return the dog f .tion illustrated in Fig. 6, thereby reproducing its engagement with the bell-crank f to lock the switch.

The details at the semaphore-post for setting the semphore, and thereby effecting the unlocking of the bar 0' and resultant locking of the semaphore and the unlocking of the semaphore and the resultant locking of the bar 0, may be variously modified without thereby departing from my invention. Hence I do not wish to confine my improvement to the exact means for the purpose shown and described, though they are believed best to accomplish the desired object.

XV hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combinationwith a railway-switch-opcrating appliance connected with the switch by a connecting-bar 0 as the switch-throwing medium, a semaphore D, a rod 0, connected at one end directly with the switch to one side of the connection therewith of the rod 0,locking mechanism, substantially as described, at the semaphore-post for locking the sen1ato the posi- T phore-signal at its danger position, and looking mechanism, substantially as described, at the semaphore-post connected with the said signal-locking mechanism and with the rod 0 and adapted to operate by unlocking the signal to lock the switch and to operate by locking the signal to unlock the switch, substantially as set forth. 7

2. In combination with a railway-sWitch-opcrating appliance in which the throwing of the switch is accomplished through the medium of a connecting-bar o, a semaphore D, alever g, connected with the semaphore-arm 71/ by a link g, a longitudinally-reciprocating bar connected with the switch-operating appliance and engaging with the said lever,

a dog f on the axis of the lever g, a lever f, engaged by the dog, and a locking-rod 0', for connection at one end with the switch and connected from its opposite end with the lever f through intermediate mechanism actuated by longitudinal movement of the rod 0' to turn the lever f, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a railway-switch-opcrating appliance in which the throwing of the switch is accomplished through the medium of a connecting-bar 0, a semaphore D, a bell-crank g, pivotally supported on the semaphore and having one arm connected by a link g with the signal-arm h, a longitudinally-reciprocating bar g connected with'the switch-operating appliance and engaging at an offset g with the other arm of the said bell-crank, a dog f on the axis of the bellcrank g, a bell-crank f, engaged toward one end by the dog and connected from its opposite end by a link f with one arm of a bellcrank e, and a locking-rod 0', for connect-ion at one end with the switch and connected at its opposite end with the other arm of the bell-crank e, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In combination, a switch-operating appliance A, having a longitudinally-reciprocating bar 0 on its base and surmounted bya bar 19 confined thereon through slots near its opposite ends and connected by pivotal links q with a pivotal lever 19 at opposite sides of its pivot through slots in the ends of the links, and a switch-connectingbar 0, connected with the lever 13, a semaphore D, a lever 9, connected with the semaphorearm h by a link g, a longitudinally-reciprocating bar 9 connected with the bar 19' and engaging with the lever g, a dog f on the axis of the l ver g, a

other arm of the bell-crank e,

lever f, engaged by the dog, and a lockingrod 0', adjacent to the bar 0, for connection at one end with the switch and connected from its opposite end with the lever f through 1ntermediate mechanism actuated by longitudinal movement of the rod 0' to turn the lever f, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination, a switch-operating appliance A having a longitudinally-reciproeating bar 0" on its base and surmountedbya bar 19', confined thereon through slots near its opposite ends and connected by pivotal links q with a pivotal lever 19 at opposite sides of its pivot through slots in the ends of the links and a switch-connecting bar 0, connected wlth the lever 19, a semaphore D, a bell-crank g, pivotally supported on the semaphore and having one arm connected by a link g with the signal-arm h, a longitudinally-reciprocatmg bar 9 connected with the bar 19' and engaging at an offset g provided in it, with the other arm of the bell-crank g, a dog f on the axis of the said bell-crank, a bell-crank f, engaged toward one end by the dog and connected from its opposite end by alink f with one arm of a bell-crank e, and a lockingrod 0, for connection at one end with the switch and connected at its opposite end with the substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In combination, the switch-operating appliance A, for controlling a switch through the medium of a connecting-bar 0, the appliance B, connected with and controlling the detector-bar device 0, a semaphore D, having a lever g, supported on one side of its post near the base and connected with the semaphore-arm h by a link g, a longitudinallyreciprocating bar g connected through the appliance B with the bar 10 of the appliance A and engaging with the lever g, a dog f on the axis of the lever g at the opposite side of the semaphore-post, a lever f, engaged bythe dog, and a locking-rod o, for connection at one end with the switch its opposite end with the lever f through intermediate mechanism actuated by longitudinal movement of the rod 0' to turn the lever f, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ISHAM RANDOLPH.

In presence of- J. V. DYRENFORTH, M. J. FROST.

and connected from. 

